Aston Villa are reportedly weighing up the possibility of signing Ross Barkley on loan from Chelsea before the summer transfer window shuts.
According to a report by Daily Telegraph, Ross Barkley is the subject of interest from Aston Villa. The Midlands club are considering a loan move for the English international and could approach fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea over the possibility of a season-long move.
Barkley joined Chelsea from Everton in January 2018, after nearly 13 years at the Merseyside outfit. Having arrived at Stamford Bridge regarded as one of the most promising young midfielders in the country, there were a lot of hopes pinned on him. However, over the last two-and-a-half seasons, he has failed to push on to the next level.
Now into his third full season at Chelsea, Barkley remains a squad option, having only been a part of the starting lineup in the 6-0 Carabao Cup win over Barnsley this week. The likes of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante are well ahead of him in the pecking order.
Furthermore, the arrival of Kai Havertz could see Mason Mount being used in a more withdrawn role this term as well. As a result, Barkley finds himself to be an option that is only likely to be used by Chelsea boss Frank Lampard in cup competitions, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek providing a lot of competition as well. And, Aston Villa are ready to provide a solution to the 26-year-old’s woes.
The Villans have been fairly active in the transfer window this summer and have started pushing for more moves in recent weeks. Dean Smith has already seen four players arrive at Villa Park so far, with the latest signing being former Chelsea man Bertrand Traore.
The Aston Villa manager is admittedly looking to bring in more players before the transfer window slams shut. As per the report, Smith is eager to bolster his squad’s midfield options, with Chelsea star Barkley occupying his fancy.
Presently, apart from Douglas Luiz and John McGinn, Smith does not have any reliable midfielders at his disposal, especially with Jack Grealish now being used as a winger. So, prising Barkley away from Chelsea could be a step in the right direction, with the former Everton midfielder capable of providing the forward thrust that Aston Villa could do with.
The sticking point for a possible deal, though, is salary payment, with Chelsea adamant that Villa will need to pay his £120,000-a-week wages in full, something the Villans are hesitant to commit to. What now remains to be seen is if the two clubs can reach a compromise, thereby paving the way for Barkley to join Aston Villa on loan this summer.
